Some of the most over-the-top beauty trends are born during New York Fashion Week and although most of them don’t translate into real life, there’s still a lot to be learned from the industry experts backstage. We asked top beauty gurus to share their secret tricks of the trade. Get ready to rethink your morning routine.
1. Add instant volume to your hair by tricking your part.
(Daphne Youree)
Backstage at Pamella Roland, Drybar lead artist Alli Webb created a romantic, voluminous look that perfectly complimented the pieces in the designer’s collection. Webb’s pro tip for creating high volume hair at home? “Trick the part! A great way to get volume is to blow hair in the opposite direction you ultimately want it to fall,” she said.
2. Round the shape of your smoky eye to make it more wearable during the day.
(Robert Fairer / TOM FORD BEAUTY)
Hard angles are SO last season, at least when it comes your eye makeup. “The eyes are super-smoky, sheered out and rounded,” explained Pat Montelongo of Tom Ford Beauty, backstage at the designer’s womenswear show. “There are no hard lines. This is softer and more modern than the traditional smoky eye,” she said.
3. Salvage a chipped manicure with glitter nail polish.
(Essie)
Backstage at Cushnie et Ochs, Julie Kandalec for Essie created a “shattered metallic ombré” nail design. “Adding glitter polish to the tips is also a great way to fix a chipped mani,” explained Kandalec. “Simply dab glitter polish across the tip of the nail. Then, turn the brush so the handle points toward your wrist and gently drag the leftover polish in the direction of the cuticle. You’ll create a natural trail of glitter that masks any smudges or chips,” she said.
4. Apply red cream blush under your foundation for a vibrant glow.
(Getty Images)
Jenna Rosenstein, backstage fixture and senior digital beauty editor for Harper’s Bazaar, shared a brilliant trick for looking awake (glowy, even!) when you’re running on empty. “Makeup artist Dick Page taught me to apply a red cream blush under my foundation. You simply apply the cream blush, and then put on your liquid foundation. You won’t need any additional blush or bronzer,” explained Rosenstein. “It really works. You’ll literally look like a sun-kissed version of Gigi Hadid,” she said. Excuse us while we run to Sephora.
5. Think of your makeup as a fashion accessory and have fun with it!
(Maybelline New York)
Playing off the vibrant colors in Jason Wu’s collection, makeup artist Thomas de Kluyver for Maybelline New York added an element of “deconstructed glam” to models’ faces. De Kluyver drew a black arch just above the crease near the inner corners of the eyes for a lifted effect. Then, he added a quick wing to the outer corner of each eye. He finished by outlining the black arc with a bold swipe of color. “You should be playful and fun and use makeup like a fashion accessory,” said de Kluyver.
6. Jazz up your makeup look with tiny touches of sparkle.
(Getty Images)
Backstage at Oscar de la Renta, makeup artist Odelle with MAC Cosmetics suggested spicing up pale eyeshadow or red lipstick with a touch of glitter. “We added small touches of gold to the red lips at Brandon Maxwell, and we’re adding a touch of iridescent glitter to the lavender eyeshadow here at Oscar de la Renta. It catches the light so beautifully. As we get older, we tend to be intimidated by sparkle, but these tiny touches can look really beautiful in real life. It’s sort of an adult play on glitter,” she explained.
7. Give negative space nail art a try. (No special tools required!)
(Essie)
Backstage at Jeremy Scott, Miss Pop for essie produced a playful pattern on models’ nails using only the brush in the nail polish bottle. The result was a cool, techno animal print design that can easily be recreated at home. “Try a half macaroni shape or a single dot of color to fill any empty space,” said Miss Pop.
8. Use a hairspray-spritzed toothbrush to tame pesky flyaways.
(Getty Images for TRESemme)
At Alice + Olivia, TRESemmé global stylist Justine Marjan created tousled waves for select models, while others received an over-the-top, Marie Antoinette-inspired updo. The latter may not translate to real life, but this tip from Marjan certainly does: “Spritz TRESemmé Compressed Micro-Mist Hair Spray on a toothbrush and brush hair upward to tame any flyaways.”
9. Speed up your manicure with a built-in base coat.
(Selwyn Ramos)
Backstage manicurists are always pressed for time, which means they need polish to dry FAST. Backstage at Adeam, Chillhouse’s Eda Levenson (AKA Lady Fancy Nails) explained that using the right polish is essential. “CND Vinylux Weekly Polish is perfect for backstage (or fast manis). It doesn’t require a separate base coat, so you’re able to skip a step and get the job done without risking quality,” she explained.
10. Use multiple lip products to create the illusion of a plumper pout.
(Maybelline New York)
Models at Self Portrait received a two-toned lip, courtesy of makeup artist Thomas de Kluyver for Maybelline New York. “It’s a glam version of grunge,” said the pro of the dual-colored look, which made lips appear fuller than they actually were. De Kluyver created depth and dimension by using the navy side of Maybelline’s new Lip Studio Python Metallic Lip Kit in Venomous, layered with several other lipsticks from the brand.
